Pune air quality map

Does the air quality map for Pune indicate the current level of air pollution?

When the air quality map for Pune is first opened, many coloured circles may be seen overlapping each other, each one shows a number. When expanded to full-screen mode, a legend can be seen towards the bottom of the screen which gives information as to what each colour represents. The colours range from pale green which indicates good air quality through yellow, orange, red and purple until dark maroon represents hazardous air quality.

The viewer will see a number in the centre of each circle which is the US AQI reading. This is an internationally recognised set of metrics which is used when comparing cities throughout the world. It is endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and is calculated by measuring up to six of the most prolific pollutants found in cities. PM2.5 is often the only one measured, but a number can still be deduced.

Once expanded, the overlapping discs separate and reveal their location more accurately and other information can be accessed by selecting a disc. This will redirect the user to a dedicated page for that area of the city where the monitor is located.

What information can be collected from the air pollution map for Pune?

Other information shown on the interactive air pollution map for Pune is the position of the air monitors, the location of any wildfires which are burning in the vicinity, the air quality and the direction of the wind. This information is extremely useful when regarding the wildfires. The direction of the prevailing wind will give a good indication as to whether or not the smoke will affect the air quality in a given area.

At the start of the second quarter of 2022, the closest wildfire was less than twelve kilometres away from the city centre but, unfortunately the wind was blowing the smoke straight towards the city.

The overall air quality in Pune can be classified as being “Unhealthy for sensitive groups with a US AQI reading of 124. There were five of the main pollutants measured but the main one was PM2.5 with a level of 45µg/m³. This level is nine times higher than the 5 µg/m³ target as recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Other information from the air quality map for Pune lists a brief weather forecast, the temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction and air pressure. There is also a forecast for the forthcoming days which may help in decision making.

When the air pollution map is viewed in full-screen a table can be seen on the right-hand side comparing air quality in various cities around the world. The number one position is held by the city with the worst air quality at that time, so a comparison can easily be made.

Does the air pollution map for Pune indicate where the worst air quality is?

At a quick glance, the predominant discs are of a red colour which indicates air quality from the “Unhealthy” bracket, but there are some dark maroon discs that indicate “Hazardous” quality. Once expanded, these different areas can easily be seen and possibly identified by local people who know the area. They could represent the industrial zones or the site of power plants. These are thought to generate most of the pollution in Pune.

There may also be some darker colours over the city centre due to a high volume of traffic, but this is usually confined to certain times of the day, such as rush hour.

What is the actual situation on the air quality map in Pune?

Transport services are still a major cause of air pollution. Dust and smoke from vehicles are poisoning the air in the city and, due to this, the level of PM2.5 is also very high. However, a positive aspect has also come to the fore that industrial pollution has come down recently. It has been stated that up to 40 per cent of the air pollution in Pune originates from the transportation sector. Industrial emissions have been found to be maximum at 21.6 per cent in Pune.

Another major source of air pollution comes from the practice of using dried animal dung as fuel for domestic stoves. Stubble burning also is considered to be a major source of pollution but only at certain times of the year.

The WHO recently published a report stating that pollution is spreading rapidly across the world. The organisation said that due to this, serious diseases such as cancer and heart attacks are increasing. It is estimated that 13 people die every day in the world due to air pollution. Add to this that 70 million people are suffering from the effects of indoor air pollution.

There is a growing need to increase the use of electric vehicle in the city and to remove vehicles older than 15 years as they create more pollution than their modern counterparts. Dependence of wind and solar energy will need to be increased for electricity generation.

Steps have been taken in Delhi such as shutting down thermal power stations, increasing the use of natural gas, banning old vehicles, use of CNG in public vehicles, curbing trucks. But there is nothing like this in NCR cities outside Delhi. (NCR is the National Capital Region).

PM2.5 is a measurement used often on the air pollution map of Pune, but what is it?

Due to the increasing number of vehicles and the decreasing number of trees, the type and intensity of pollution is increasing every year. Air pollution reaches very dangerous levels in cities in the NCR region around Delhi. The reason for this is PM2.5 and PM10 particles are present in the air. These particles cause great harm to everyone's health. When the level of these particles increases in the air, then difficulty in breathing, burning in the eyes etc. will be commonplace.

PM is also called particulate matter or particle pollution, which is a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets present in the atmosphere. The particles present in the air are so small that you cannot even see with the naked eye. Some particles are so small that they can only be detected using an electron microscope. Particle pollution includes PM2.5 and PM10 which are very dangerous.